The goal of the grant is to address the effect of exogenous female hormones on disease activity and severity in women with systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE). Oral contraceptives and estrogen replacement are not prescribed due to the widely held view that they can activate SLE. The primary objectives of this randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial are to determine the effect of oral contraceptives containing low dose synthetic estrogens and progestins on disease activity in women with SLE and to determine the effect of hormonal replacement with conjugated estrogens and progestins on disease activity in postmenopausal women with SLE. (See SPID #912)